Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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So the reason I anchored on those teams is because we’re 0-3 against UConn across 3 seasons including two tourney games. Duke blew us out in 2025. And would have been fairly favored against us in a potential Final Four matchup last year (if not for aforementioned UConn).
So when Duke is fielding two starting 5s and UConn is securing Bowman Jr. with visits from several other big names… there is a certain arms race at hand.
This program has made enough S16s, E8s, and F4s. The goal now as Brad has mentioned is a title.
Did you watch any of the offseason practice footage coming out of Duke and UConn?
Duke has not one but several players with insane pop. JBB would be a top 5 pick potentially in the 2027 if he were eligible. There might be +/- 9 NBA future pros on that team.
UConn is being talked about as the best backcourt in the game this year. No program or scheme has owned us like them. And Mullins may be the best movement 3pt shooter in the country (tailor made for UConn’s system).
To use a sprinter analogy, even if we’ve improved our 100M from 10.3 to 9.9 seconds. You’re seeing the 9.9 second athletes (Duke and UConn) improving to 9.6. Hurley outside the Clingan/Castle years didn’t build his teams with Duke/Kentucky burger boy template. He’s starting to get those guys too now. Imagine if he adds a Henry or Kamissoko to pair with Bowman Jr.
So apologies for my tunnel vision on those programs.
No apology necessary! My response was a bit misguided as I thought the narrative there was we are 0-1 in recruiting battles vs Duke and UConn and that signals concern. Short reaction after your follow up: it wasn’t at all.
I am hoping that our recent success in getting visits from these types of recruits is a positive indicator that we’re turning a corner in a big way as a program.
Joel Goodson
- 9th man conundrum
dammit, are we gonna land any of these cats?
and why won't little Willy go home?
and why won't little Willy go home?
Bumping this comment in case anyone’s heard/seen anything?
It's so nice knowing that A) I think we will, B) If we don't, it's because better options came up, and C) I truly believe that and I'm not just trying to make myself feel better.
We've come a long way from hanging on to these recruiting weekends knowing our program hung in balance. The Jawun, Brusnon, Alexander, and Snider days were fun on the board, but in hindsight, a little sad.
I'm trying to think of the last recruit we lost out on where I was concerned about the program moving forward... Maybe RayJ Dennis qualified, but EJ Liddell, I think.
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But I do miss the Sun AM report from Original Pancake House
Castle was really the only top tier recruit that Hurley got on that team. Castle was ranked 9th, Clingan was a middling 4 star.
So basically the the two best teams of recent memory(24 UConn and 26 Michigan) were not built with the Duke Burger boy template.
So why are we worried about this? Get a good freshman or two and pair them with a veteran experienced roster.
Kansas didnt have DybantsaBowman Jr. went to UConn. Mullins was ranked near Top 10 in his class. Moussa Kamissiko is headed for a visit there.
I wouldn’t even consider Arizona a traditional blue blood given they have 1 title from 20 years ago. But they’ve landed Holt, Burries, and Peat in the last 2 recruiting cycles. They also likely lead for Wabbington.
Kansas has had a Dybantsa and Stokes.
I don’t need to even touch on Duke.
Brandon McCoy Jr. was at one point the #1 ranked 2026 prospect.
We recruited Quintin Coleman away from Wake Forest. I don’t recall if we battled a blue blood for Will.
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Two composite five star recruits doesn’t suddenly mean “we can compete with any blue blood.”
The sell to go play at an Arizona, Duke, or UConn is still measurably stronger.
2025 Rankings: https://247sports.com/season/2025-basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool
2026 Rankings:
2026 Top Basketball Recruits
The 247Sports rankings are determined by our recruiting analysts after countless hours of personal observations, film evaluation and input from our network of scouts.247sports.com
None of these recruiting cycles saw us competing against and taking away a blue blood’s preferred 5-star or top-10 recruit.
The story has been great with NBA development outcomes with Ayo, TSJ, Will, KJ, and Keaton. But there’s also not been a blue chip frontcourt HS recruit or NBA prospect in these past 5 years since the program has consistently made the tournament.
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I would say we’ve become more competitive with the blue chip recruits. But I don’t think we’re at a stage of pulling away a primary target away from a more currently successful program like Duke, UConn, or Arizona. Even a Michigan who has brought in a McCoy Jr. and beat us out for Costello.
Duke & UConn are in their own class at the moment, and that likely will not change up until Hurley or Scheyer leave for the NBA. It's going to take another program working themselves in. Dusty would have been there had he stuck as he built a ton of equity fast and had a unique template that was receiving buy in.
Zona has an advantage as being the top West Coast program, so has a regional advantage. Burries & Peat & Wabbington apply. Once one of these top programs sends a OAD to the league, they then have a natural seed to keep the wheels in motion as new opening sprouts for the next OAD.
Hurley's template since that 24 team has been to grab one burger boy annually: Castle, McNeely, Mullins, Landrew represents that this year, Bowman. Don't sleep on Landrew, he was the second best player on the U18 team next to Coleman and built like a truck (looked a little unconditioned). He actually has two on his roster this year in Mullin's and Khamenia, both generally movement shooters. His system is one where not reliant on top freshmen and isn't one to feature/showcase with a lot of iso, so not sure if he'll ever subscribe to it. He is going after a SF to go with Bowman this year, so he may be beefing up on 5*. I don't see him as a guy that is going to stack them like Scheyer and Calipari, he seems to wisely diversify his portfolio with retention, frosh, transfers and euros.
Hurley pulled one of the more fascinating recruiting strategies this year. He has 5 of the top 5* shooting forwards coming in consecutive weekends, in order. They seem to be gunning hard for Henry, another son of a football dad along with Bowman.
Scheyer and Duke have such an aura of exclusivity, and NIL, so somehow are able to get a Cam William's while also getting a JBB. What other program could get two top 10 kids at the exact same position? I HAVE to think Cam William's is annoyed by it and wonder if at some point, these moves catch up with Scheyer. They're recruiting Beckham Black this year while they have 3 point guards on their roster.
I'm finding there to be some natural tension brewing between Duke/UConn, as they recognize themselves in their own class. Hurley is playing into it, has arrogantly stated multiple times that UConn/Duke are the top programs right now. Scheyer doesn't want to acknowledge it/them, almost purposely. He did a recent interview with Rothstein where he was asked how many times he watched the Mullins shot, and stoically answered once recently. We all know that is totally BS. Rather than say UConn made a great play, he's actually said they effed up, should have fouled. Also saw an convo between Battier and Scheyer around recovering from loss like that, and their 99 loss to UConn was brought up. Some good old bad blood going on there, which is fun in sports.
That Duke/UConn game is going to be must watch as not only is there a heated rivalry brewing, Hurley grabbed Khamenia
For us to get in the mix, we need to beat those two bozos and will have our chance this OOC. Up till then, will play little brother.
Nor was Florida. Golden built that team on transfers and a couple of unknown bigs (Haugh & Condon). That Houston team they beat was built on retention and transfers.
Clingan for all sakes and purposes was a missed 5 star. He had a top 10 efficiency his freshman season, was second behind Edey as a sophomore.
The Burger Boy template isn't it. I think you want 1-2 top freshman max. The exception is when you land that one all world kid (Flagg, Boozer, JBB, AJD). We are unlikely to ever land one of those. What Brad is doing now is working.
Now let's go ahead and cancel that Arizona visit why don't we?
Good Morning insiders...any cruiting news...?
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
I liked the UNC kill right after our visit. Have to assume it’s us and AZ from that logic.
UNC No Longer Recruiting Darius Wabbington Per His Father
North Carolina is no longer recruiting five-star center, Darius Wabbington, his father told TarHeel 247 on Saturday afternoon.
247sports.com
UNC No Longer Recruiting Darius Wabbington Per His Father
North Carolina is no longer recruiting five-star center, Darius Wabbington, his father told TarHeel 247 on Saturday afternoon.
So it’s Illinois, Arizona, Texas, or Indiana based on his visits.UNC No Longer Recruiting Darius Wabbington Per His Father
North Carolina is no longer recruiting five-star center, Darius Wabbington, his father told TarHeel 247 on Saturday afternoon.
UNC No Longer Recruiting Darius Wabbington Per His Father
North Carolina is no longer recruiting five-star center, Darius Wabbington, his father told TarHeel 247 on Saturday afternoon.
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